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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Author Spotlight - Christy McKellen

Today's spotlight author is an English author who writes spicy romance, and she's here to talk to us about her debut novel. Welcome, Christy.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Hi Minxes, thanks so much for having me on your blog, it’s an absolute pleasure to be here.

I’ve been writing with the aim to be published for about five years now – there have been some ups and downs, but they’ve all been useful learning experiences. I certainly feel like I’ve earned my authorial status I fit writing in around looking after my three children – two of whom are at school and one at home with me. Before I gave up work to raise my kids I was a Video and Radio Producer for the BBC and a couple of independent production companies. Making it as a writer has been a dream for me for a very long time, so I’m absolutely delighted that my debut novel has finally hit the virtual shelves.

What number book is this? First? 100th? 200th?(Nora only!)
This is my first published book, but the fifth book I’ve written. Wouldn’t it be amazing to say you’d written 200 books! Maybe one day…

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?
I hate to leave things unfinished – I have a bit of a tidying compulsion – and that tends to keep me focused. It would feel like a real waste of my precious free time to let a story slide, especially if I was quite a way through it. Don’t get me wrong though, I like a good skive as much as the next person.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?
To connect with as many other writers as possible through facebook, Twitter and blogs. The romance writing community is a strong, inclusive one and from my experience, other writers do amazing publicity for each other. Some people find it very hard to market themselves (me included) so other people talking about your book is the perfect way to promote it. Also, be friendly and professional in all your dealings with reviewers, book bloggers and readers. Most of them are doing promotion for you for free and should be afforded the respect they deserve for that.

How does writing fit into your day? Or does your day fit in around your writing?
I tend to write at lunchtimes when my youngest is having a nap (which I fear may be coming to a close soon!) and sometimes in the evenings if my husband is out. I try not to work too much at night because my husband can only be ignored for so long before he gets a grump on 

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
I try to get to the gym a couple of times a week and I walk as much as possible. I’m always on the go with the kids though, so my body gets a pretty good work-out every day.

At what point in your career did you actually start to feel like you were a writer?
When I received my cover art – which I absolutely love! Seeing such an amazing cover with my name on it made it all hyper-real.

Do you write to music, or with the tv on in the background, or do you need complete silence?
I prefer to write with music on. I need some noise in the background or I feel too lonely. I make myself a playlist for the book I’m writing and listen to it over and over (with my headphones on if other people are around, so I don’t drive them insane.) I can’t work with the TV on though – too distracting!

Have you ever written a hero you'd be happy to run off with?
Oh yes. I love all my heroes and would run off with any of them. I need to feel that sort of connection in order to write them. After all, I want the best for my heroines and wouldn’t pack them off with any old chap.

Writing snacks – what are your favourites?
Kettle chips! The only problem is they make the keyboard greasy 

Thanks for having me today, it’s been fun!

Blurb:
Six months ago Ellie Holdsworthy’s life was all planned out - kids, wedding, happy ever after - until her boyfriend dumped her for another woman. Now her best friend, Penny - an heiress to a small fortune - looks set to run off with a gold-digger, and Ellie is determined to save her from certain doom . Unfortunately, the only person who can help is the one person she’d rather not ask...

Little does Ellie know, persuading her brother’s best friend - commitment phobic, playboy businessman, Gideon DeLancy - to hold an intervention at his beautiful Georgian manor would be the easy part. Keeping her hands off him is a whole other matter.

Gideon doesn’t intend to fall for his friend's snarky sister, and he sure as hell doesn’t expect their weekend to develop into a full-on sex-fest. When passion takes a strangle-hold, their differences don’t seem to matter. After all, a torrid weekend affair should be the easiest thing in the world to walk away from, so why are they finding it so difficult...?

About the author:
Formerly a Video and Radio Producer, Christy now spends her time as either a slave to her children or her muse. When she’s not writing spicy romance, she can be found stomping around the South West of England, glomming her to-be-read pile or escaping from real life with her rather delicious husband.
Christy loves to hear from readers. You can contact her on her blog, Facebook and on Twitter.

Wonderful interview for a wonderful book, Christy. I loved her New Worst Enemy and can't wait to read more of your work. Kettle chips are yum, aren't they, I love their tortilla chips too. Wishing you many kerchings of the virtual cash register :)